Service c

[pb33]

Close to doing a deal on a 2004 mercedes e-class estate 320 CDI Avantgarde with 44k miles. The computer shows 5k miles to category c service. Is this an expensive service? What's the ballpark for this service?
Thx
Paul

 

[philharve]

Hi Paul

The services run A, B and C where A is usually the cheapest. However, the exact sequence of the services is determined by the ASSYST indicator.

The basic cost of each service is displayed at the dealers unless you are choosing to get your car serviced elsewhere. I say 'basic cost' because if anything over and above the basic service is required to be done, the final bill could come as a shock.

Hopefully another member will be able to provide a typical service sequence for this model with associated costs.

REGARDS Phil

 

[jberks]

The whole menu thing seems to be going out of the window. I recently queried the cost of a D service. Turns out that its a diagnostic one and they don't know what they will be doing until they plug it in. The ball park quote was £550 from the dealer and between £170 and £330 from the specialist. Its booked in at the specialist in a couple of weeks.
Before I bought it, it wanted a C. According to the service book, they changed the oil, replaced a heater filter and turned the air filter round. So I'd imagine £2-300 for that from the dealership and £150 from an indie.

 

[Jensen]

JBerks

I presume as your car is only max 2 years old that you have to get it serviced by stealer otherwise will void warranty. Indie no good at this stage due to age??

 

[jberks]

No. Its 16 months old but EU regs mean that they can't insist on dealer history any more. Provided the work is done to MB standards using MB parts (and this is subject to a court case) then the warranty stands. The indie can't put in warranty claims but can service and fix the car without affecting the warranty as he's MB trained and uses only MB parts. So, I save £200-300 a time on the service, get the indie to advise on any faults and then bang it into the dealer to get any warranty repairs done. Thats the plan anyway. Not entirely convenient but £600+ per year pays for the insurance and it doesn't grow on trees.

People say it affects used value but I've found this is rubbish too. I learned this lesson when attempting to trade in a 5 year old C220 with FMBSH and 6 months dealer warranty on it. The car was low mileage and absolutely mint. They had worse examples in their showroom. They offered me bottom book and I told them to stick it and sold it to My Dad for the same price. He got a bargain and I just negotiated a better discount. I recently traded in my E240. Full dealer history apart from the last service. Salesman didn't care. Trade value only. Some private buyers may be concerned but most seem to understand and I don't tend to sell privately anyway.

 

[philharve]

... EU regs mean that they can't insist on dealer history any more. Provided the work is done to MB standards using MB parts (and this is subject to a court case) then the warranty stands.

Hi jberks

Where can I find this particular EU Reg.?

I've got a service coming up soon, don't yet know which one, and I'm struggling with the decision to either take it to the dealer knowing it's going to be expensive, or taking it to my indie who is MB trained and only uses MB parts and who will levy a significantly smaller charge.

I discussed my dilemma with my indie and he said that if I plan to make any further corrosion warranty claims I ought to take the Merc' to the dealer for servicing. I then suggested how about taking it to the dealer for servicing but if they find anything else needing attention, I should politely say 'no' and take it back to the indie for attention. Surprisingly, the indie didn't like this suggestion and rejected this course of action outright.

I therefore appear to have only two alternatives. Take it to the dealer for servicing and let them do any additional work they deem necessary knowing that it will cost me an arm and a leg OR take it to the indie for servicing and paying for any corrosion work myself.

The indie thinks that if I let him do the servicing from now on, I will no longer be able to make any warranty claims because the dealer is likely to adopt the attitude that if they don't do the servicing they won't entertain any warranty claims.

I was wondering whether the EU Reg. has anything to say about this scenario? Can a dealership refuse future warranty claims if I have my Merc' serviced by an indie?

Jberks, if I understand what you have stated in this an other threads on this matter, the dealership could be (is?) in breach the Regs if it attempts to discriminate against me in the manner described. Having a copy of the Regs might be a strong defence.

I wonder what MB's response would be if it learned one of its dealers was breaching EU Regs? If I won this battle, could I ever trust the dealer again?

I cannot make up my mind and a service cannot be far off.

Is there any way to tell, in advance, whether the next service is likely to be an 'A' or 'B'?

I know the ASSYST system is capable of providing all manner of information. What information can it provide? Can it indicate which service will be required? If so, how do you access this data?

REGARDS Phil

 

[jberks]

Phil,
I'm not sure where the exact laws are (must be a gov or eu site somewhere) but see http://www.iccuk.com/service/blockexemption.htm as an example.

However, as I understand it, the corrosion warranty is a grey area. Allegedly MB are flexible to 8 years but as it is classed as a goodwill warranty tied in with the 30 year Mobilio so is not covered by the regs. The mobilio book actually states that Mobilio is for 2 years and is then renewed at each service. So miss a service and it lapses.

That said, I can't understand your indie's concern. This is exactly how I ran my E240. All servicing (and hence corrosion claims) through the dealer. EVERYTHING else through the indie. They did brakes, MAS and Lamda sensors, plug leads, I did the plugs myself and still had a corrosion claim approved weeks before I traded it.

At the end of the day, the service is all that matters and to be realistic, all that is recorded so what they don't know doesn't hurt them. Clearly I didn't go to the service desk and declare I'd had work done elsewhere But I suspect it wouldn't have mattered. The service book was stamped by the dealer and thats all they care about.

In having mine done elsewhere I accept the Mobilio will lapse in November and the corrosion warranty will look dodgy, but
1) Mobilio is a breakdown service which you can get anywhere for less than £100 per year.
2) Mobilio will only take your car to the dealer where you will get stuffed for the cost of the repair (if its out of warranty). When mine last E spluttered home, I nursed it past the dealer's door and on to the indies forecourt some 5 miles away as I was scared of what they would charge just to diagnose it.
3) W211's don't seem to corrode like the W210 did (I hope!!) Any rust I do get will no doubt be down to chips which aren't covered anyway.
4) I've never had a car corrode from the inside out which is actually what the 30yr cover is about. It covers 210 corrosion because it starts under the paint.
5) At the end of the day, I am saving £500+ per year. I just don't see breakdown cover being worth that.

So, Yes as you have a 210, you may be better with the dealer for servicing but just refuse anything extra and pop it down to the indie. E.g. The dealer noted that the brakes wanted doing. I said I'd bring it back. I didn't. Worked for me anyway.

 

[philharve]

Hi jberks

Interesting. I've just had my car MOT'd and no serious issues found. However, the MOT inspector did gave me an 'amber' form which listed 3 issues which he said ought to be reviewed before the next MOT, preferably sooner.

I intend taking these 3 issues to my indie for advice and/or attention simply as a cost saving measure BEFORE the next ASSYST-scheduled service. I cannot see my indie having any objection to this approach.

I am still undecided as to whether I go to the dealer or the indie for the next service. It's the maintenance of the corrosion and perforation warranty that is the deciding factor in my case. I can live without mobilio.

If I do choose to take my Merc' to the dealer I would only expect them to perform a straight service because I know what these costs are. It's the additional work they might 'discover' and the extra charges this might incur that bothers me. I want to be one step ahead and ensure I don't have to pay out more than necessary.

I don't quite understand my indie's attitude either but I suspect it's an ethical concern. After all, he did work for this particular dealer and probably knows some of the technicians. They could be his friends.

It's a tough choice but if the dealer stonewalls me over the matter of corrosion warranties then that's it as far as I'm concerned. We part company and I'll rely upon the indie for all future work. However, I might just have a word with MB if the dealer chooses to be difficult. That's why I was hoping to study the Regs, as ammunition.

Thanks for the link. I'll see where it leads. If I find the exact reference, I'll return the favour.

REGARDS Phil

 

[philharve]

Hi jberks

I found the following report by the Office of Fair Trading concerning Car Repairs & Servicing, dated August 2000. Section 3.16 (page 13) makes a statement which you yourself have used. It also gives a little more information about the behaviour franchised dealers and warranties.

http://www.oft.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/B6C1D4CF-34D0-4F05-97DF-5109A42A5C99/0/oft307.pdf

This is a fairly old report but there may be a more recent version. I'll keep looking.

REGARDS Phil

 

[philharve]

European Comission (EC) Reg. 1475/95

Hi jberks, all

I tracked down the following EC Regulation concerning Competition Law in the European Union. EC Reg. 1475/95 basically states that independent specialists must be treated in the same manner as franchised dealers. Furthermore, franchised dealers must honour the warranties of their suppliers.

The following URL contains the Reg. in quite a few different languages. There are also numerous supplementary explanatory notes.

On the 5th February 2002 the EC adopted the draft 'vehicle block exemption regulation' which is an update to the base Reg. which dates as far back as 1995.

http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/car_sector/distribution/#reg_1475_95

Quite unexpectedly, towards the end of this frame there is also mention of cases of fines imposed upon car manufacturers. Included in the list is mention of fines levied against Mercedes-Benz in 2001 for their export practices. There is an EC report into the subsequent investigation and the EC's decision.

This is strictly bedtime reading because of the shear length of the report, it's multiple tables and references. Yawn-making stuff. The EC Reg. itself is no easy read either.

REGARDS Phil